News

Tuesday Afternoon News, December 18

Compensation Board Offers Salary Recommendations To Supervisors

(Le Mars) -- Representatives of The Plymouth County Compensation Board offered their suggestions for wage increases for county elected officials during this morning's Plymouth County Board of Supervisors meeting. Larry Peterson of the Compensation Board says the volunteer board used the same format this year as was utilized last year with determining the salary increases for county elected officials.

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Petersen says the Compensation Board realizes Plymouth County has excellent government employees, and he says it would be difficult to replace the people.

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The County Supervisors took the information under advisement, but they will not act on the Compensation Board's suggestions until they work on the budget.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) - A judge is refusing to allow the mother of one of two slain Iowa girls out of a halfway house so she can plan her daughter's funeral. U.S. District Judge Linda Reade declined Monday to end Misty Morrissey's supervised release 45 days early or allow her to live with her mother. Morrissey is mother of Lyric Cook, who disappeared with cousin Elizabeth Collins in Evansdale in July. The bodies of the girls were found this month by hunters. Morrissey has lived at the Residential Reentry Center in Waterloo since August, and is allowed to leave for work and scheduled events. Morrissey's attorney says she is unable to devoteenough time and attention to planning Lyric's Dec. 29 memorial service while at the center.

Airport Authorities Remind Travelers What's Not Allowed On Planes

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Authorities at Des Moines' airport are reminding holiday travelers to keep any replica grenades at home. Transportation Security Administration at Des Moines International Airport is telling travelers to keep certain things away. They showed items Tuesday that were confiscated at security checkpoints. Included on the list was a replica grenade brought by a five-year-old boy and an assortment of ninja throwing stars. Police batons and a crow bar also were on the list. But TSA officials say a major holdup at the airport is still removing certain liquids from luggage during security. ---

Pella Man Shoots Himself After Standoff

PELLA, Iowa (AP) - Authorities say an Iowa man who shot himself during a police standoff near a small private college has died. The Pella Police Department says officers responded around 8:30 a.m. Monday to reports of an armed man chasing another man through a Pella neighborhood and firing shots. Within minutes, responding officers say they intercepted 49-year-old William Shaw, of Fremont,fleeing the scene in a car. Police say there was a brief standoff between officers and Shaw before Shaw shot himself. Shaw was rushed to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Central College, a small private college in Pella, was put on lockdown. Many students are gone for winter break, although some staff and faculty were on campus.

Judge Orders Death Certificates To Change For Same-sex Couples

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - A Polk County judge has ordered the state to change the way it handles child death certificates for same-sex parents. District Judge Robert Hutchison issued the ruling on Friday. The ruling came in a lawsuit brought a same-sex couple suing state health officials for omitting the name of one parent on the deathcertificate for their child. The judge found that "a mother's wife is identical to a mother's husband in every common and ordinary sense except for biology." He also said the Iowa Department of Public Health'spolicy of refusing to register a mother's wife on a death certificate violates the state's equal-protection laws. The gay rights group Lambda Legal filed the lawsuit on behalf of Jenny and Jessica Buntemeyer of Davenport. ---

Korean Metal Company Donates To Harkin's Public Policy Building

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - A South Korean businessman and his Iowa metals subsidiary have given $500,000 to support a university institute for Sen. Tom Harkin, who is pushing for a one-dollar cointhat would bring the company business. The donations to the Harkin Institute of Public Policy at Iowa State University come from PMX Industries and CEO of its Seoul-based parent, Jin Roy Ryu. Harkin is sponsoring a bill that would eliminate the paper dollar in favor of a dollar coin, for which PMX supplies the materials. PMX is a member of the Dollar Coin Alliance lobbying for the change. PMX says ISU's foundation asked for its donations and it agreed. Yet they are an example of possible ethical concerns that Republicans warned could result from naming a university instituteafter a sitting lawmaker.

Tuesday News, December 18

Jandreau Sentenced To 45 Years

(Le Mars) -- Plymouth County District Judge Jeff Neary handed down the sentence of 45 years to Matthew Jandreau. Jandreau was found guilty in November of burglary, kidnapping, and attempted sexual assault of an eleven year old female juvenile. Throughout the sentencing, Jandreau sat quietly. When given the opportunity to address the court, Jandreau said he is not a violent person, and that he can't honestly say why he committed the crimes. Jandreau told the court that he wished he could go back to the evening prior to the series of crimes, and just go home, instead of choosing to become intoxicated and committing the crimes. Jandreau said that "nobody cares what I have to say. I just want it to be over. I know, no matter what I say, it won't make a difference and I will go to prison." Judge Neary said he has sentenced people who have committed murder and he said "this comes dangerously close to that because of what could have happened". Neary said before delivering the 45 year sentence that he is doing so to protect the community, and he fears that there is potential for Jandreau to committing these crimes again. The family of the 11 year old female victim attended the sentencing. Jandreau's mother who testified during the trial, did not appear at the sentencing.

Hospers Elementary Schools Placed On Lockdown

(Hospers) -- The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint that a 22 year old male from Hospers, IA had made threatening comments on Facebook. The complainant reported that the suspect made the comment, “I want to shoot a bunch of people, my family and myself.”Officers were immediately dispatched and two schools, located in Hospers, were put on lockdown. The two schools were: Spalding Catholic Elementary school (3rd and 4th grade students) and MOC Elementary (K-5th grade students). At 1:44 pm sheriff’s officers located the suspect walking near his home in Hospers. He was taken into custody without incident.The suspect will be evaluated by medical personnel. The case remains under investigation and criminal charges are pending. The Iowa State Patrol assisted with the incident.

Hospers Woman Sentenced To Drug Court For Meth Possession

(Orange City) -- A Hospers Woman has been ordered to complete drug court program for possessing methamphetamine with a third offense. 40 year old Pauline McDonald of Hospers was sentenced on Monday in Sioux County District Court. She was convicted of possessing methamphetamine on a third offense, a class D felony. The case arose on May 30, 2012 when a concerned citizen contacted the Sioux County Sheriff's Office to express concerns that the defendant was using illegal drugs. Officers responded to McDonald's residence and found methamphetamine and placed McDonald under arrest. Drug court is a special court given responsibility to handle cases involving substance-abusing offenders through comprehensive supervision, drug testing, treatment services and immediate sanctions and incentives. Drug court offers individuals facing criminal charges for drug use and possession the opportunity to enter a substance abuse recovery program in lieu of straight jail or prison time.

Granville Man Sentenced To 5 Years For Burglary

(Orange City) -- Sioux County Attorney Coleman McAllister has announced that John Nelson, age 37 of Granville was sentenced on Monday in Sioux County District Court for the crimes of burglary in the third degree, a class D felony, and theft in the fifth degree, a simple misdemeanor. Nelson was sentenced to serve five years on the burglary charge and 15 days in jail for the theft charge.

Remsen Fire Department Responds To Trailer House Fire

(Remsen) -- The Remsen Fire Department responded to a trailer house fire at the Beck Trailer Court on Monday afternoon. That call came in at about 3:15 p.m. Fire officials were able to quickly get the fire under control within a half hour, but they did make a return trip to the scene in order to help ventilate the house from the fire.

Plymouth County Supervisors Have Full Agenda

(Le Mars) -- The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors have a full agenda for today's meeting. It is expected the county governing board will approve an amendment agreement with the city of Le Mars for the Joint Urban Renewal project. The supervisors will also hear from the Compensation Board as they offer their county employee salary recommendations. The supervisors will hear a report from Dick Sievers of Mid-Sioux Opportunity as he delivers a budget request. County engineer, Tom Rohe will update the county supervisors on the various road projects, and the supervisors will be given an update from John McCurdy of JEO Consultants regarding the County Comprehensive Plan. County Conservation Director Dennis Sohl is also expected to appear before the board.

Historic Preservation Commission Wants To Celebrate Downtown Listing

(Le Mars) -- The Le Mars Historic Preservation Commission wants to throw a party. The local organization wants to celebrate the listing of the Le Mars Downtown Commercial Historic District as it is now part of the National Register of Historic Places. The celebration will occur on Wednesday, January 16, 2013 on the second floor of the Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.